Castello della Magliana

The castle is mentioned in the 11th century as a possession of the monastery of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere; an oratory dedicated to John the Baptist, which also dated back to the Middle Ages, was annexed to it. The work of complete restoration and adaptation of the medieval building began in 1480 under the pontificate of Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1484) and continued under Pope Innocent VIII (1484-1492), who in 1490 had much of the medieval structures demolished and the new building bearing his name constructed. In the early 16th century, Pope Julius II (1503-1513) entrusted Giuliano da Sangallo with the construction of a new small palace with a portico and large cross-mullioned windows, whose rooms were frescoed by some painters from Perugino's school. During the same period, the ancient chapel of San Giovanni Battista was also renovated. The era of greatest splendor was during the pontificate of Pope Leo X (1513-1521) who, in addition to further embellishing the buildings by calling Donato Bramante and Michelangelo Buonarroti to work there, transformed the villa into a place for literary meetings, concerts, and theatrical performances.